Rome: Director - Environment, Climate, Gender and Social Inclusion Division (ECG) *reopened*

Apr 8, 2020 | International Fund for Agricultural Development
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The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and  advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

Post's organizational accountability

The Strategy and Knowledge Department (SKD) provides expert guidance on IFAD's strategic direction, thematic priorities and technical quality of IFAD's operations. It plays a critical role in providing technical expertise to operational teams to support countries efforts to tackle their most complex development challenges in fostering inclusive and sustainable rural transformation. This is mainly achieved by generating and disseminating IFAD's development knowledge and evidence in IFAD's investments.

SKD is composed of the (i) Environment, Climate, Gender and Social Inclusion Division (ECG); the (ii) Sustainable Production, Markets and Institutions Division (PMI); and the (iii) Research and Impact Assessment Division (RIA).

ECG takes the lead in mainstreaming cross-cutting themes of environment and climate, nutrition, gender, youth, indigenous people and other key social inclusion issues into IFAD's portfolio, to strengthen the quality of IFAD's operations, ensuring mainstreaming themes are duly and meaningfully incorporated into its work program, and to achieve improved impacts in these areas. It contributes to the generation of evidence and knowledge on these cross-cutting themes, facilitates their use in IFAD projects and activities and ensures reporting and interfacing with donors on mainstreaming themes. In addition, ECG provides guidance and support to ensure the inclusion of marginalized groups, particularly women, indigenous people and rural youth, into IFAD's operations.

Within IFAD, the Director of the ECG Division provides authoritative advice to senior management on ECG’s vision, strategic planning, policy, and divisional programme and operational management related to Environment and Climate, Gender, Nutrition, Youth, Indigenous People and other relevant social inclusion areas of the work of the Division. He/She is accountable for collaboration and coordination within the Fund to ensure appropriate consultation, cross-functional synergy and coordination of programme planning and activities.

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Associate Vice-President, SKD, the Director ECG will lead, manage and oversee a technical team of internationally recruited Technical Specialists and nationally recruited Technical Support Officers. In particular, the Director is responsible for the formulation and implementation of the substantive work programme of the Division under his/her supervision. S/he oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Division, ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within his/her team, across divisions and departments within IFAD, and with other relevant organizations.

The Director is part of IFAD’s senior management team and is responsible for the successful and efficient delivery of the division’s programme of work and associated results within the allocated time and budget.

The main focus of this position is strategic leadership, innovation and results-based management. The accountabilities/key results include:

• Vision & Strategy
• Policy Development & Advice
• Programme Management
• Management of Resources
• Representation

Key results expected / Major functional activities

1. VISION & STRATEGY:  The Director ECG develops and promotes a strategic vision related to Environment and Climate, Gender, Nutrition, Youth, Indigenous People and other relevant social inclusion areas of the work of the division for translating these mandates, strategies, goals and objectives into a divisional programme of work and for ensuring these are properly reflected in IFAD’s investment portfolio. He/She participates in the design of IFAD's and departmental strategic approaches and ensures that corporate strategies are fully integrated in the design of assigned activities. The Director sets and communicates clear strategic and operational objectives and is held accountable for the division being seen as a credible and trusted partner in managing for results and as an innovator in its field. 

In particular, the Director provides and communicates a vision and strategy for incorporating technical knowledge into IFAD operations, and for developing related knowledge products.

2. POLICY DEVELOPMENT & ADVICE: The Director ECG provides leadership in the development and interpretation of major global, UN, and internal  policies, regulations and rules related to Environment and Climate, Gender, Nutrition, Youth, Indigenous People and other relevant social inclusion areas of the work of the division. He/She also serves as a trusted business/programme advisors with a significant role in authoritative policy advice within the Fund at the senior management level as well as in policy dialogue in their representational activities.

In particular:

• provides leadership and advice on the implications of adopted global policies and strategies for IFAD’s work and actively promotes input and dialogue into national policies, plans and partnerships;
• provides advice on potential sources of financial resources to carry out the work programme of the Division and of IFAD; and
• contributes to the overall management of IFAD through participation in the SKD Senior Leadership Team and to other internal committees, as requested.

3. PROGRAME MANAGEMENT: The Director provides leadership in: (a) all phases of the division’s medium-term planning and management, including operational requirements such as; (i) establishing annual work plans; (ii) ensuring regular programme assessment; and (iii) identifying opportunities for innovation and implementation of best practices generated within the Fund as well as in peer organizations, both private and public; (b) reviewing and innovating core processes of the division in order to achieve better efficiency and effectiveness, as well as financial sustainability, of operations; (c) enhancing synergy among divisional staff and holding staff accountable for results and (d) ensuring the preparation of all divisional publications, reports and governing bodies documents.

The Director will be responsible for working with IFAD’s Regional and other key divisions to support delivery on a number of fronts:

• further integration of environment and climate, gender, nutrition, youth, indigenous people and other social inclusion dimensions across IFAD’s projects and policy engagement;
• actively securing and mobilizing cash and in-kind financial and human resources, including engagement with donors and partners to support the implementation of IFAD’s agenda in these areas, (i.e. GEF, GCF, Adaptation Fund, BMZ, DFID, GIZ, etc.);
• efficient implementation of bilateral and multilateral funds resources
• oversight of the implementation of IFAD’s Assessment Safeguards Procedures, climate finance tracking reporting; tracking and reporting of gender, nutrition and youth as per action plans; and guidance on targeting;
• fostering knowledge management and communications on environment and climate, gender, nutrition, youth, indigenous people and other related social inclusion issues; and
• overseeing the development and roll out of a capacity development strategy and relevant training activities to support the implementation and monitoring of the Action Plans, including by engaging with key partners in this area.

4. MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES: The Director ECG undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Division, including preparation of budgets, reporting on budget/programme performance, evaluation of staff performance (PES), interviews of candidates for job openings, evaluation of candidates and preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting. He/she is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources (human, financial and material). This includes:

• People Management through workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, learning and career management of P and GS staff by taking into account that regionally mapped technical teams have dual reporting lines, to ECG and to regional division.  

1. manages staff performance and development through regular performance feedback, mentoring and career planning;
2. manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision, including staff in geographically dispersed locations;
3. motivates, coaches and supports staff of the division, wherever they are located, to create cohesive teams that work effectively to achieve common divisional goals and objectives;
4. identifies best qualified candidates for vacancies, with appropriate regard for gender balance and geographic distribution; and
5. fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Division and across organizational boundaries.

• Divisional Budget Management by leading divisional strategic and data inputs into the departmental budget preparation exercises and by ensuring accountability and fiduciary integrity in the Division’s budget execution;
• Material Resources Management through accountability for the material resources assigned to the Division.
• Knowledge and Content Management to achieve innovative outcomes and cost effective processes as well as to promote the generation, validation and dissemination of knowledge by ensuring

1. knowledge content is continuously updated and available,
2. best practices are continuously identified, documented and distributed and
3. appropriate and up-to-date information and tools are available as appropriate.

• Information Technology Management through leveraging ERP functionality for improved business results, reporting processes and client services.

Impact of Key results / Key performance indicators

Within IFAD’s overall Strategic Framework and Medium erm Plan, the Director ECG establishes IFAD’s priorities for and provide leadership to ECG’s level programme and operational management activities and is accountable for a results-based approach to meeting assigned goals and objectives.  Leadership activities include the optimum utilization of human, financial, technology and material resources for the achievement of greater efficiency and effectiveness. The incumbents’ impact extends beyond the successful achievement of divisional goals and objectives to include larger departmental goals and objectives in strategic planning collaboration. The expected results directly and/or indirectly benefit the ultimate stakeholders, the rural poor in developing countries.

The key performance indicators include leadership in viable strategic planning, authoritative and relevant policy development and advice, sustainable programme decisions and integrity and accountability in the planning and management of the Fund’s human, financial and material resources assigned to the division.

In particular the Director needs to ensure:

1. all mainstreaming themes are properly incorporated into IFAD operations in a manner that maximizes impact;
2. all IFAD investments target the right populations based on the targeting guidelines and targeting policy;
3. IFAD is able to mobilize external resources to fund the implementation of its programme in these key areas; and,
4. IFAD is viewed as a global leader on environment and climate, gender, nutrition, youth and other social issues in relation to small scale producers.

Representation / Work relationships

Externally the Director ECG develops strategic partnerships and collaborative relationships with counterparts spanning a broad range of institutions including governments, borrowers, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, UN agencies, funds and programmes, IFIs, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions for the purpose of programme co-operation, knowledge sharing, policy dialogue and/or resource mobilization.

He/She represents the Fund in official United Nations committees and networks, and in international financial institution, multilateral and bilateral meetings, symposia, fora and Global conferences upon request of the President, and builds organizational networks with peers in major private, public and international institutions. The ECG Director acts as the IFAD representative to the GEF Council, GCF Board, and other related multilateral global funds and meetings.

Internally, s/he is accountable for the provision of authoritative advice during Executive Board sessions, the annual Governing Council and related subordinate bodies including the audit and evaluation committees.

Internally, s/he is accountable for the provision of authoritative advice during Executive Board sessions, the annual Governing Council and related subordinate bodies including the audit and evaluation committees.

Competencies

Organizational

• Strategic thinking and organizational development: Strategic leadership (Level 2)
• Demonstrating Leadership: Leads by example; initiates and supports change (Level 2)
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating: Challenges, innovates and contributes to a learning culture (Level 2)
• Focusing on clients: Contributes to a client-focused culture (Level 2)
• Problem solving and decision making: Solves complex problems and makes decisions that have wider corporate impact (Level 2)
• Managing time, resources and information: Coordinates wider use of time, information and/or resources (Level 2)
• Team Work: Fosters a cohesive team environment (Level 2)
• Communicating and negotiating: Acquires and uses a wide range of communication styles and skills (Level 2)
• Building relationships and partnerships: Builds and maintains strategic partnerships internally and externally (Level 2)
• Managing performance and developing staff: Manages wider teams with greater impact on others and on the organization (Level 2)

Technical/Functional

• Recognized management skills in a multicultural setting, combined with ability to achieve results through motivating people and influencing partners.
• Results-oriented decision-making ability with an aptitude to address operational challenges and for developing practical solutions.
• Innovator with risk management ability and a proven track record as a successful agent of change.
• Rigorous analytical and conceptual thinking.
• High sense of integrity, trust and confidence.
• Champion of IFAD’s values: respect for the individual, integrity, professionalism and focus on results.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, including the ability to set out a coherent analysis in presentations.
• Strong diplomatic and communication skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships with clients and counterparts at the appropriate levels.
• Ability to represent IFAD in international fora.

Minimum recruitment qualifications

Education

• Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in Environment and Climate, Economics, Sociology, Nutrition, Law, Anthropology, Rural Development, Regional Development Planning and any other technically relevant discipline with specialization in areas related to sustainability, nutrition, gender, youth and social inclusion.

Experience:

Technical

• At least twelve (12) years of progressively responsible professional experience in technically related area in a multi-cultural organization or national organization, with 5 years at international level.

Managerial

• Experience in managing large and complex programmes, in engaging with external donors and clients, and in participating in global dialogues.
• Strong professional record with an international reputation in at least some of the key thematic areas (environment, climate, gender, social inclusion, nutrition, youth employment, or a combination of those) is required.
• Progressively responsible experience in managing large and complex teams is required.

Language requirements:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Working knowledge of another official language (Arabic, French, or Spanish) is an asset.

Other information

Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD.

In the interest of making most cost-effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful

Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.

*Please note that this vacancy has been reopened until 28 April 2020 in order to further strengthen the pool of candidates. Applicants who have already submitted their applications do not need to re-apply.*